What Evolved Into a Deeply Personal Creative Process - Art Inspired by the Merced River - Yosemite National Park, California

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As some of you may know, I create abstract/kaleidoscopic designs from photos I take. A large portion of the this process takes place in my iPhone...the capturing and editing of the image and the piecing together of the pattern through a magical app. Sometimes I take things further and jump into Photoshop for some filter / distortion / color play. Today I am sharing with you a few creations that emerged out of a photo I snapped of the Merced River on my recent trip to Yosemite National Park. Due to the specific location and all of the memories attached to this spot on the river, this process quickly became personal and quite metaphorical. Here's the story in kind of a bizarre order but hopefully it will all make sense in the end.

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I am beginning with the last thing that came out of my creative session today. This is a relatively new approach for me where I zero in on a section of the larger design and end up with an asymmetrical composition. I am a huge fan of Van Gogh's impasto style of painting and was thrilled to be getting a bit of that feel here. To me, it looks like a mini landscape...a pine tree perched on a peak with a deep valley below with the heavens sending down hugs and kisses (xo).

What do you see? Feel free to leave me a comment below.

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Here is the expanded version of the image above...can you see where I cropped it from? In this triptych image, I stayed with the natural colors of the photograph and focused more piecing together something interesting...to me, anyway. Again, I was thrilled to see the Van Gogh essence coming through on a grander scale...that vibrating / swirling thing.

This is where it got personal for me. For the last several years, my little family unit of three has been undergoing a separation. The process has been slow and painful but so very refining and clarifying. I truly believe that we are finally emerging on the other side of this experience with a greater respect for who each of us are. As I was piecing this design together, it struck me as illustration of all that I have just explained. That coupled with where I took the original photo was a bit overwhelming. I have said in the past that I love creating these designs because it's always a surprise...well, the emotion attached to this one was definitely a doozy!

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This is the initial design block from where the others evolved.

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This is the original photo where it all began. This one is special because my son suggested I take it as we were taking to a short hike along the river to a spot we called "Our Beach." He thought I could make something cool out of it with all that was going on with the colors and ripples. It warms my heart that he takes interest in what I do and also that he has the eyes to see beauty and the potential in things.

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Here is the bend in the Merced River that we have always called "Our Beach." The view of both Yosemite Falls and Half Dome (donning a cloud cap in the distance) is breathtaking...a perfect spot to call home. This is the first place we would head for, as a couple, as a family and now as individuals living separate lives yet still inextricably connected. I am so grateful that, even though things didn't play out as planned / expected, the memories have not soured and the fondness for this spot has not diminished. The river has changed the landscape of this valley over time creating and exposing new points of interest and beauty...a striking metaphor for my life as I see it.

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Thank you for hanging in until the end. I am not sure if my story makes sense but that's ok, this post was very cathartic for me. If you would like to see more from my trip to Yosemite, check out these recent posts...they are far less emotional and more focused on the natural beauty. 😍

Chilnualna Falls
ThursdayGreen - a collection of shots from my recent trip

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The panorama shot is my submission for
the #smartphonephotography contest
sponsored by @photocontests and initiated by @juliank.

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